Overproduction in China and massive government subsidy programmes in the United States mark the struggle to stay profitable for a business that used to boom in Germany.
Production at the factory is largely automated, with just some 50 employees overseeing the non-stop manufacturing process via computer screens. German manufacturers were global leaders in solar at the time, carried along by healthy government subsidies. But the public funding was slashed in 2010, leading many of the businesses to go bust.
Between January and September 2022, production of solar panel modules in Germany was 44 percent higher than in the previous year.Despite the recent uptick the challenges for the industry in Germany remain significant -- not least a fierce international subsidy race. Earlier this year, Meyer Burger decided to expand production in the United States, while it is asking for a 200,000-euro subsidy to up capacity in Germany.
The DOE said that all oil prices are expected to increase due to the depletion of crude oil stockpiles in the United States...